Brown for Computer Science--Desperate for input

<p>I got into Brown, but need to know what it's computer science (CS) is like:</p>

<ol>
<li><p>How are the internships opportunity? For example, Cornell gives people a chance to work in a Co-Op program to take a semester off and work for a company. Does Brown give this?</p></li>
<li><p>How is research? Will I have tons of opportunity?</p></li>
<li><p>How close is the interactions between professors and how small are the classes, and will I get good recommendations?</p></li>
<li><p>Is Brown prestigious in the eyes of a graduate school for computer science? I know its not Stanford/MIT/CMU, but is it still really good?</p></li>
<li><p>Brown is ranked #20 overall in computer science. Why?</p></li>
<li><p>Is there a lot of recruiting from companies like Microsoft, Intel, etc, and is it hard to get a job after graduating?</p></li>
</ol>

<p>I have to make decision soon. Thanks!</p>

<p>Questions 1 and 6: ask the career center what companies come recruiting for interns and new graduates. Note that everyone applies to the big obvious companies (Microsoft, Google, Apple, Facebook). A larger contingent of less obvious companies in the industry would be preferable to see in the career center. Otherwise, you will have to aggressively look for companies to apply to.</p>

<p>Brown is less likely to be as well recruited for CS compared to schools like Berkeley and Stanford, due to its smaller number of CS majors and less proximity to Silicon Valley. But it may attract more local recruiters from companies in its area.</p>

<p>I need someone who’s from Brown to respond. This is a life-changing decision</p>

<p>A neighbor’s son and his girlfriend are recent Brown grads. He was recruited to Amazon and she to Microsoft. They are very happy in Seattle making an unheard of living for recent grads. Many companies do recruit to Brown in CS. Brown is definitely prestigious for grad school because you have the opportunity for a broader liberal arts education. Your specialization comes in grad school.
My son is accepted to Brown for MechE and is asking the same questions you are. The dept is less well ranked than other schools he got into but if he goes, it will be for the whole experience.</p>

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<p>Brown’s lack of any breadth requirements (except for ABET accredited engineering majors) does mean that there is less assurance that a Brown graduate has had a broad liberal arts education compared to graduates of other schools, particularly those with lots of breadth requirements like MIT.</p>

<p>I can’t directly compare it to the other schools you mentioned but I know that Brown’s CS department is considered one of the strongest departments at Brown. And, generally speaking, Brown graduates do pretty well.</p>

<p>Then why is it ranked “only” 20??? From what’ve read from these forums and PMs, Brown seems to be, essentially, top-notch at CS. Anyone know?</p>

<p>Then why is it ranked “only” 20??? From what’ve read from these forums and PMs, Brown seems to be, essentially, top-notch at CS. Anyone know?</p>